A Roman Catholic priest accused of stealing more than $300,000 from the collection plates of his Roselle parish to support his gambling addiction is expected to plead guilty Thursday to theft, his lawyer said.
The Rev. John Regan, 47, former pastor of St. Walter Church, is expected to enter a guilty plea to a single count of theft over $100,000, attorney John Donahue said in court Tuesday. Regan, who will be sentenced at a later date, faces up to 15 years in prison.
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Regan was removed as pastor in 2008. At the time, a Joliet Diocese spokesman said the priest had an “apparent gambling addiction.”
Regan allegedly took church funds and directed them into a personal account. He allegedly withdrew the funds from ATMs at riverboat casinos and also used the money to pay off personal credit cards.